a man sat at a desk playing a braille video game at a laptop

News / Braille

First of its kind Braille gaming device created in Bedminster

By Rachel Sutherland  Monday Nov 7, 2022

The first Braille gaming system has been created by a company from south Bristol.

The “sky is the limit” for the tactile gaming device from Bristol Braille Technology, which allows blind and partially sighted people to play and create their own video games.

Popular visual games like snake and hangman can now be accessed through the Canute Gaming Dock‘s unique Braille cell display.

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Two Braille gaming devices side by side which can be played by blind and partially sighted people

The tactile gaming device enables blind and partially sighted people to play and create their own video games – photo: Bristol Braille Technology

The social enterprise, based in BV Studios on Philip Street in Bedminster, is setting off on a mini tour around the UK to showcase the machine and to reach as many people as possible.

Bristol Braille Technology was founded in 2011 with the dream to create a Braille machine to help reverse the decline in literacy amongst blind people.

The non-profit organisation has developed and manufactured the Canute 360, a device to enable the blind community to read books, music, graphs and more with ease. This creation was then developed into a gaming device.

The social enterprise hopes its Canute Gaming Dock will open up opportunities for people who are blind or partially sighted to learn more about programming and computer science.

Dave Williams, customer experience manager at the RNIB, said: “The fact that you have tactile, audio and video in one device means the sky’s the limit.

“The tactile component could help with orientation, including in games with maps and would be fascinating for a blind student looking to develop their spatial orientation skills.”

Main photo: Bristol Braille Technology

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